Building or construction blocks



April 14, 1959 MJPREININGER 4 BUILDING 0R CONSTRUCTION BLOCKS Filed Aug. 31, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I JNVENTOR.

. I Mmos PREININGER l BY l April 1959 M. PREININGER 2,881,614

BUILDING OR. CONSTRUCTION BLOCKS Filed Aug. 31, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 73 1 I mmvroa MILOS PREININGER 2,881,614 lc Patented AP 1959 BUILDING OR CONSTRUCTION BLOCKS v Milos Preininger, New York, NY.

Application August 31, 1955, Serial No. 531,738 1 Claim. (Cl. 72-42) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in building or construction blocks.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of an improved building block which can be used in a number of different ways and positions for simplifying building and improving construction.

As a further object, the present invention proposes to provide two building blocks or units which are simple, handy and light with no fragile parts and'which can be used to form outside walls, partitions, corners, frames for windows or doors, floors, stairs and for anchoring on roofs.

Still further, the present invention proposes forming one block as a main block and the other as a second or corner block, both blocks having cavities adapted to be aligned with those in other blocks for filling with concrete or the like to join the blocks together and reinforcing rod or conduit grooves alignable with those in other blocks for filling with concrete or the like to join the blocks together and reinforcing rod or conduit grooves alignable with those in other blocks to lock the blocks further together by rods, pipes, or conduits.

Another object of the invention proposes constructing the blocks so that they can be used either filled with cement or like material or not filled and so that pipes or other conduits can easily be inserted or placed between the blocks.

A further object proposes forming the blocks for use 7 as a toy with .a connecting bar or rod removably to hold them together without interfering with the stacking or laying of the blocks in building with them.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a foundation wall built of blocks constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the blocks shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the block turned upside down.

Fig. 4-is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing another of the blocks shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the block turned upside down.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the two blocks shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating another way of building with the blocks.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of two of the blocks and a connecting .rod removably to hold them together.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the building blocks shown in the several figures consist of a main block 15 and a second or corner block 16 both preferably made of the same material, of the same size and molded, cast or otherwise formed in block form.

Main block 15 has two sides 17 and 18, two ends 19 and 20, and a top and bottom 21 and 22 respectively. Preferably the sides 17 and 18 and the top and bottom 21 and 22 are of the same area or have the same outside dimensions and ends 19 and 20 are identical to one another.

Bottom 22 has a pair of spaced reinforcing rod or conduit grooves 23 and 24 extending between ends 19 and 20 and spaced from sides 17 and 18. The grooves 23 and 24 are adapted to receive reinforcing steel rods or conduit pipes 25 (see Fig. 9).

A center wall 26 extends from the top 21 toward the bottom 22 between the sides 17 and 18 and preferably is formed integrally with the block. Block 15 also has a pair of cavities 27 and 28 on each side of the center wall 26 with inclined inner cavity walls 29, 30 and 31, and 32, 33 and 34 extending in converging relation from the top 21 of block 15 toward the bottom 22 and from the center wall 26 to the ends 19 and 20.

The center wall 26 also has a pair of spaced reinforcing rod or conduit grooves 35 and 36 adjacent the top 21 of the block 15 and adjacent the sides 17 and 18 of the block.

Second or corner block 16 has two sides 37 and 38, two ends 39 and 40, and a top and bottom 41 and 42 all of the same area as their counterparts on the main block 15.

Bottom 42 of block 16 has a pair of spaced reinforcing rod or conduit grooves 43 and 44 extending between the ends 39 and 40, spaced from sides 37 and 38 and adapted to align with grooves 23 and 24 of main block 15 when the two blocks 15 and 16 are aligned end to end.

A partition wall 45 is provided in block 16 adjacent to and spaced from end 39.. Second block 16 also has an opening 46 between the partition wall 45 and end 39 extending through the block. Block 16, in addition, has a cavity 47 between the partition wall 45 and end 40 with inclined inner cavity walls 48, 49 and 50 extending in converging relation from the top 41 toward the bottom 42 and inclined from the partition wall to end 40 for alignment with one of the cavities of the main block or with another cavity 47 in another second block.

Partition wall 45 has a pair of spaced reinforcing rod or conduit grooves 51 and 52 and end 39 has a similar pair of grooves 53 and 54 adjacent the top 41 of the block and adjacent sides 37 and 38.

Sides 37 or 38 also contain spaced reinforcing rod and conduit grooves 55 and 56 and 57 and 58 at the top 41 and bottom 42 of the block 16.

A wall can be made with the blocks, as shown in Fig. 1. On a concrete foundation a first course or layer of blocks can be laid top side up starting with a second or corner block. Adjoining cavities are filled with cement mortar. In this way a horizontal beam is formed.

Reinforcing rods or pipes 25 wet with cement milk are put in the grooves, the rods or pipes 25 having substantially the same diameter as the grooves. A second layer or course can then be put on top of the first, the adjoining cavities not being filled. Further layers or courses may be added as desired. One layer or course is put bottom side up crosswise so that the ends partly extend into adjoining rooms. Pipes or rods 25 as long as the room is wide are put in the grooves bridging the room and blocks are laid on these pipes or rods bottom down. On top of the blocks boards 60 (Fig. 9) are placed. In this way ceilings, floors and the like can be made or stairs can be formed.

Another example of the construction possible with the blocks is as follows: one course is laid with the cavities not filled, the second course laid with cavities filled so as to form a horizontal beam between the ends of the two courses.

In the openings which extend through the second or corner blocks, when corner blocks are laid one upon another, cement mortar can be poured from above to form vertical pillars. Also reinforcing rods may be extended through these openings.

For use as toys, the blocks can removably be locked together by a connecting rod 61 adapted to fit in the grooves and having bent end portions 62 and 63 adapted to hook over a center or partition wall and over the ends of the blocks.

The corner blocks may be used also as main blocks; they may be used in the middle of the-length of the wall in such a way that a vertical channel occurs. This vertical channel may serve as a chimney or conduit for water pipes, etc. and when filled with mortar a pillar will be made.

The blocks can be also manufactured with any number of grooves and with built in outlet box for electric wires.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A cornered wall construction including superposed hollow blocks along the straight portions thereof and superposed hollow blocks at its corners, the blocks along the straight portions each havingflat side and bottom walls and being open at the top and ends, a partition wall extending across the space between the side Walls at the center thereof, said bottom wall having parallel spaced grooves in its bottom surface extending the length thereof and being spaced inwardly from the side walls, said partition wall having grooves in the intersecting ends of the top and side edges thereof, the corner blocks each having side and bottom walls adapted to align with the side and bottom walls of the blocks in the straight portions of the wall, said corner blocks each having a wall at one end thereof, the other end of the block being open, a partition wall across the space between the side walls spaced inwardly from said end wall thereby providing a space between the end and partition walls, said space being open at the top and bottom, said bottom wall having spaced parallel grooves in its bottom surface, extending the length of said bottom wall, said end wall having grooves across its bottom edge in line with the grooves in said bottom wall and in line with the grooves in the bottom surface of the bottom wall of the next adjacent block in the straight wall portion, forming a continuation of the open end thereof, said end wall having grooves across its top edge in vertical alignment with the grooves across its bottom edge, the side walls of said corner block having spaced grooves across the top and bottom edges thereof, adjacent the space between the end and partition walls, said side wall grooves being in vertical alignment, and disposed in horizontal alignment with the grooves in the intersecting end edge walls of the partition wall of the next adjacent. block of the straight wall portion abutting said end of the corner block, the side and partition walls being tapered upwardly and the bottom walls being tapered outwardly from the adjoining partition wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 384,541 Palmer June 12, 1888 934,061 Fincke Sept. 14, 1909 1,686,757 Loughridge Oct. 9, 1928 2,106,177 Hultquist Jan. 25,1938

FOREIGN PATENTS 85,566 Austria Sept. 26, 1921 163,049 Austria May 10, 1949 277,553 Switzerland Dec. 1, 1951 283,305 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1952 51,885 Sweden Mar. 1, 1920 958,569 France Sept. 19, 1949 302,920 Italy Nov. 12, 1932 806,046 Germany June 11, 1951 OTHER REFERENCES Publication (Civil. Engineering Magazine), July 1942, Concrete Spandrel Blocks by Neil, on page 395; 

